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Adaptive Learning: A Better Way to Teach and Help Residents Pass their Boards

Today's residents are faced with learning a vast amount of information that is growing exponentially in size and velocity. Textbooks with lengthy chapters, and even many e-learning programs, are no longer adequate for imparting and instilling the latest evidence-based knowledge, which is expanding faster than residents' ability to assimilate and apply it effectively.¹

“It is estimated that the doubling time of medical knowledge in 1950 was 50 years; in 1980, 7 years; and in 2010, 3.5 years. In 2020 it is projected to be 0.2 years—just 73 days.²

Traditional learning techniques – including most e-learning programs – can't keep up with the complexity and volume of medical knowledge that today’s physicians must absorb and apply. That is why, to avoid education burnout, many residency program directors are turning to advanced adaptive learning programs to help their residents learn more efficiently.

What is Adaptive Learning?

The move to adaptive learning is a fundamental change in how medical educators approach curriculum⁴ and is based on evidence that each learner has his or her own learning needs and often achieves competency at a different rate than others.⁵

Adaptive learning technology provides an individualized learning experience that starts by determining a learner's strengths and weaknesses and then uses powerful algorithms to serve information and learning exercises that address the learner's limitations, guiding them to greater proficiency and understanding, making the learning process both more effective and efficient.

Few tools, even among digital learning platforms, utilize the breadth of principles addressed in true adaptive learning in their pedagogic design. NEJM Knowledge+ is an exception.

NEJM Knowledge+ was designed from the ground up to combine a comprehensive adaptive learning engine with ABMS board-blueprint-driven cases, questions, and detailed feedback — all developed by experts specifically for efficient and effective board review. Its unrivaled ability to identify areas of knowledge weakness and strength and adjust the learning pathway in real time, to improve both knowledge and metacognition, helps residents improve their clinical decision-making accuracy.

NEJM Knowledge+ meets each resident precisely where they are in their learning journey. It tests a resident's current level of knowledge by presenting the most relevant and critical information and instantly assesses their understanding based on 100+ algorithmic variables including response time and reported level of confidence. Then, NEJM Knowledge+ presents needed information in a variety of question formats – cases, multiple-choice questions, and fill-in-the-blank questions – to reinforce and test mastery of the material.

In resident education, a one-size-fits-all curriculum doesn't fit everyone. In fact, it may fit no one. Adaptive learning with NEJM Knowledge+ is the better option for today's residents who are faced with a constantly evolving and growing body of medical knowledge. It helps them excel on exams, boost their confidence and understanding, and set the stage for lifelong learning.

Not all adaptive learning programs are the same. Learn how they are different

Residents & Medical Educators Say

Residency Programs Around the
World Use NEJM Knowledge+ Including:

Adaptive Learning for 21st Century Residents: Insights and Best Practices

Read how your colleagues are incorporating adaptive learning into their residency education programs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

True adaptive learning programs deploy sophisticated algorithms that mimic the way viruses behave in nature, continuously evolving, moment by moment. They are based on the theory that learning works chaotically and there are many pathways to achieving the same learning objective. Moreover, adaptive learning programs allow learners to make mistakes – and learn from them – just as in real-world cognitive situations. As a result, residents develop their critical thinking skills, enabling them to respond more effectively in clinical situations.

Want to know more? Check out this brief video

Adaptive Learning for 21st Century Residents: Insights and Best Practices

NEJM Knowledge+ was engineered to apply robust adaptive learning science to the higher-level objectives and complexities of medical education.

Read how residency programs use adaptive learning to absorb a high volume of complex medical knowledge

No other adaptive learning program engages residents like NEJM Knowledge+: